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November 18, 1985|By Jack Snyder of The Sentinel Staff

When Brevard County Realtor H. Jerry Harrington totaled up the results of his business -- Northeast Realty on Merritt Island -- for 1983, he was pretty disappointed. Harrington's office had handled only 11 sales for the year.

He decided he needed a new approach to the real estate business and bought the franchise rights for Help-U-Sell, a flat-fee real estate sales system, for Brevard County and metropolitan Orlando. Under the Help-U-Sell system, the seller pays a flat fee -- $2,250 for properties priced under $125,000 and $3,250 for those priced at $125,000 and more -- when the property sells. The seller shows the house himself. Prospects drive themselves to the house for viewing.

Harrington and his associates advertise the property and advise the seller on negotiating and closing the contract. They also help arrange financing if necessary. Does it work? Harrington said his Merritt Island office had 88 sales in 1984 and has racked up 67 sales so far this year. He plans to sell franchises for the system in the Orlando area.